Chapter 28: STEEL

Chapter Twenty-Eight

STEEL

T he drug screaming its way through my arteries right now feels far more potent than liquor. I hated the coffee in prison and only viewed coffee as a hangover cure rather than a possible avenue towards pleasure. This is better than coffee. This is sweet, sweet American nectar. And I crave more of it.

I smack Joslin’s ass and she yelps. Loud.

“Come on, hot stuff,” I say to her as I smack Joslin’s perfect, perky ass. The damn thing jiggles as she gives me another pointless warning over my reasonable consumption of caffeine. I could have finished a few more of these drinks. “I’m ready to go.”

“Do you know where you’re going, Ryder?” She asks nervously. “You’re vibrating.”

“I’m not vibrating. Just awake. Now come on.”

I get on the back of the bike. The energy coursing through me makes me want to run to Las Vegas with Joslin on my back. I want to marry this woman. Soon.

“It’s better than being drunk,” she says. For the first time in my life, I agree. This shit is way better than coffee and in a couple hours… I’ll be needing more. The second I feel Joslin’s sexy ass clawing my back with her death grip, I start the engine. Glad she got used to the bike the first time because I’m done going easy on her…

Her grasp on me tightens as I hit the highway and rev the bike up to the speed limit. Then faster. Joslin takes one hand and squeezes my thigh, an obvious warning sign and change from her previous behavior. I try to comfort her by adjusting my hips in the seat as I push the bike even faster.

I’m afraid of what will happen if I slow down. Every minute I spend around this woman puts me in total danger of losing my mind and fucking her like crazy. I don’t care about her first husband or whatever religion or race she comes from. Everything about Joslin brings out my protective, animalistic urges.

This woman makes me feel like more of a man. The way she looks at me. The way she touches me. Every second I have her in my arms, I want to plunge my dick between her legs. It’s more than sexual desire. It’s… complete. Total. I already know it doesn’t get better than Joslin. You don’t find sweet, funny women who kiss like they’re wild, but keep you in line with their strong, unshakable morals.

Sure, she killed her first husband. But let he who is free from sin throw the first stone. It goes something like that in the Bible. After we’re married, and after I get permission to mostly retire from club business, I’ll ask Joslin to show me her favorite parts…

The colors are much brighter in Las Vegas. Maybe it’s those energy drinks, but it feels like the perfect Nevada summer. Once you experience summer heat behind bars, you find nothing to complain about with sunlight on your skin — or soaking through your denim jeans.

Joslin hasn’t let up on her tight fucking grip. I know my speed must have put some fear in her but… here we are. This city has more spirit than St. Louis, far more local spots friendly to bikers, great football team, and some Sinclair history. I wonder briefly if I should tell mom I’m getting married.

I don’t know what to tell her. Part of why I always wanted to elope. Driving into the city, we have to slow down due to traffic, giving Joslin plenty of time to relax her grip and look around.

I’m searching for something… but I don’t know what it is until I see it driving a few blocks away from downtown.

VEGAS DELUXE WEDDING EMPORIUM

My turn into the parking lot surprises Joslin, who nearly tips off the bike but I slow down around the curve so she can get a better grip on me. There aren’t any other cars in the parking lot, but the red neon “OPEN” sign spells good things. Joslin hops off the bike like it’s on fire.

Before I can solve the puzzle of what I did wrong, she takes her helmet off and throws it at me.

“I TOLD YOU NOT TO HAVE THREE!” She shrieks. I swear, I never heard Joslin get this loud. I take my helmet off and stop hers from clattering to the ground. The force of her voice shocks me.

“We’re fine. Look, church girl. Deluxe Wedding Emporium.”

“I can read it, Ryder. You almost killed me!”

“Baby,” I say to her, trying not to laugh. “You’re fine. We’re both fine. I would never hurt you.”

The rage still plastered on her face tells me she isn’t buying it. I’ve run into a wide range of responses from first timers and considering everything, she’s still handling it quite well. No need for anger. This woman’s life was never in danger. Joslin now has uncertainty she didn’t have before written all over her face.

Fuck. We’re supposed to be getting married and getting to know each other… not fighting.

Joslin folds her arms, refusing to budge. “You must have heard me screaming!”

“I didn’t. I only heard the bike and… the sound of my heart. Beating for you.”

“You are… such an asshole!” Joslin says. She covers her mouth after, like she’s never said the word asshole before. Her surprise at her own foul mouth cracks me up, but she doesn’t appreciate my laughter, even if it’s doing all the heavy lifting of lightening the mood between us.

“What did you just call me?”

“You heard me.”

“I did,” I reply to her. “Did you hear my romantic proclamation?”

“For all I know, you meant for it to be a eulogy!”

“You’re fine.”

“I’m not!”

I put my arms around her. She really is shaking from what I can only assume is fear. Joslin is so fucking small. It’s hard to imagine any man hurting her. Any man who does deserves to sit at the wrong end of my pistol.

Joslin leans against my chest. I clutch her tightly, desperate to stop her shaking.

“Look at me.”

“I don’t want to,” she says, pressing her head into my chest but then giving up and looking at me with those pretty eyes. I love her strange eyes. I had never seen eyes shaped like that up close until Joslin. They’re just one of the many reasons I think I could be with this woman forever. I want someone and something different.

I don’t want to be a typical biker ex-con fuck up…

Joslin looks at me with so much tenderness, it’s hard to believe that I’m the same man who did time for a lesser charge, covering up Gideon’s murder to save the club. It’s hard to believe I’m the same man who let members of the Aryan Brotherhood put a tattoo on his forearm. They’re covered up now, but the shame never leaves you completely. The ink stains you.

“I’m sorry for scaring the shit out of you. I thought you would like it.”

“I was screaming for forty-five minutes straight. I might have even fallen unconscious. You were going over 100 miles per hour, I know it.”

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, leaning over so that our faces are close, and I can see every detail in the outline of Joslin’s sexy, full lips. Her body stops trembling as I get closer. “I’m sorry, baby…”

I give in to my desire to kiss her. Joslin has the sweetest pair of lips I have ever kissed. They are so damn soft. So perfect. She whimpers a little when I suck on her lower lip. My grip on her hips becomes downright possessive after that little sound escapes her lips.

Pulling away from her takes every ounce of my effort.

“I still have enough energy to take you shopping for our wedding,” I tell her. “Will that calm you down?”

“How do you have money?” she says. “Because I don’t have any and… I agreed to marry you. I don’t need to spend all your cash.”

“I have plenty of money. Nothing you ever need to worry about.”

Joslin stops and folds her arms. “Wait.”

“Yes?”

“Will you let me work?”

“If you want to. I assumed you wanted to sit around the house making love to me any chance you get…”

“Should we talk about this stuff before getting married?”

“Nope,” I respond flatly. “Because whatever you want… I’m gonna give you. Now let’s get your sexy ass in a wedding dress.”

“Your language is rubbing off on me,” Joslin says. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing.”

“I’ll apologize with a gift.”

I put my arm around Joslin, her small body drawing close to mine. She might have been scared on the highway, but now she clings to me for safety. And I fucking love that she does it. Now… Do they make wedding dresses that push your titties together?